DB Cargo UK celebrates nine years delivering special wool to Bradford

DB Cargo UK (formerly DB Schenker Rail UK) is celebrating its ninth year delivering distinctive Merino Wool from Southampton to Bradford, a city famous for its wool industry.

The wool originally comes from the Falkland Islands and arrives at Southampton by ship, where it is then delivered by DB Cargo UK’s multimodal container services to Rotherham and Wakefield throughout February and May.

The journey ends with a short haul trip by road to warehouses in Bradford.

The services are provided to Falkland Wool Growers, agents for the sheep farmers on the islands who sell pure Falkland Islands wool.

Container trains carrying the wool run up to four times each week and usually transport 40 containers. Each container holds 40 200kg bales of Merino wool. Merino is a breed of sheep prized for its fleece, which is regarded as the finest and softest of any sheep.

Robert Hall from Falkland Wool Growers, said:

“Like most large Southern Hemisphere sheep stations, Falkland Islands farmers each run thousands of sheep that are shorn in purpose built sheds with the wool then prepared, classed and pressed in bales.

“These bales are containerised in Stanley and shipped to Southampton twice a year.

“When the wool reaches Bradford it is sold to wool buyers and processors in Britain, further afield in Europe and even to the Far East.”

Adam Baines, Account Manager, Intermodal, at DB Cargo UK, said:

“The fact that we have worked with Falkland Wool Growers for the past nine years shows just how successful the service has been.

“We look forward to continuing the service and supporting the wool industry, which is important to the Falkland Islands and the UK.”